A task force arrested 13 people and recovered two gallons of PCP and six guns Friday during an investigation into alleged drug trafficking with gang ties, according to sheriff’s officials.

Surveillance of transactions of the illegal drug showed that those involved were gang members from Moreno Valley and Gardena, although the distribution happened in San Bernardino County, the message said.

“Like many other gang members, those identified during the course of this investigation have migrated into the Inland Empire expecting to freelance in the illicit narcotics trade,” said the news release. “However, through allied cooperative efforts, local, state and federal agencies involved in this investigation are sending a message that this activity will not be tolerated.”

The arrests came as part of an investigation that began in February involving the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, San Bernardino Police Department, San Bernardino County Probation Department, CHP, California Department of Corrections and the FBI.

The San Bernardino District Attorney’s Office filed criminal complaints against 18 suspects directly related to the investigation and as of Friday had arrested 13.

Search warrants issued during the investigation also led to the seizure of about three ounces of base cocaine.

Court records show some of those arrested have now been charged with possession and transportation of PCP for sale, being a felon in possession of a firearm, child endangerment and solicitation to commit murder, among other offenses.

Ryan Hagen covers the city of Riverside for the Southern California Newspaper Group. Since he began covering Inland Empire governments in 2010, he's written about a city entering bankruptcy and exiting bankruptcy; politicians being elected, recalled and arrested; crime; a terrorist attack; fires; ICE; fights to end homelessness; fights over the location of speed bumps; and people's best and worst moments. His greatest accomplishment is breaking a coffee addiction. His greatest regret is any moment without coffee.